Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-19

citizens to appear in court as wit
nesses to their wrongs. The present
large tax which they are now forced tc
lay ought not to be shifted on the ad va
loren list against the property holders il
more commepdable pursuits. And mer
who wear flowers on their noses as re-
suit of sucking around quart houses and
drug stores should be afforded decent
chance to avoid absolute hypocrlsy-the
greatest curse to genuine moral reform
In every land. III
The revenue to the state for the TIVE
years ending June 80, 1855, from intoxi.
eating liquors amounted<.to 81, 024 800
The expense to the stateErowing out OF
criminal prosecutions--tmbra the
fees of district and county attorneys,
sherifs, clerks, witnesses, criminal
judges, etc, for the two years end
ing February 2S,s 1887, aggre-
gate the amount of S95S, 1874
by this 1t will be observed that occupa-
ton taxes from this one traffic paid an
excess of So, 1858 over ell the expense
, to the state fromall criminal sources for
a like period. The Comptroller furnished
me these figures this morning and they
are correct. The reason they are not
given for the Same periods is that the
general busiaess year closes with the
government February rs; while the one
for the settlement of occupation taxes
ends on June so of each year.
! The total trials during the two years
ending Jenuery l, 1887, of the three
ofensesEof arson, burglary and theft,
were 3043; while those of all other
ofenses combined, including murder,
rape, robbery, embeZzlement, perjury and
assaults to murder, to rape and to rob,
aggregate 1889.
These figures are authentic, are given
you without special comment, SO that you
can draw your own conclusions after ask
ing yourself: "If the occupation taxes on
She liquor traffic pay more than the whole
expense of criminal cases, what good rea-
son can there be for abolishing this rev.
enue and placing the burden upon other
sources?" 1t will hardly do to say that
crime will cease for the lack of whisky,
for men will sin, drunk or sober; nor will
it answer to say that whisky will fail 10
find it's way into Texas, for the facts
stare the world in the face that, under
more rigid laws than this proposed
amendment, Maine, with a population Of
675, 900, pays revenue on whisky to the
United States government of $40, 554.74
annually; that Iowa, with 100000 peo-
pie, psys 50, lbs, 40 q year, and mat
Kansas, the prime pattern of Texas latter
day morals, with 4 population Of AGO.
600, pays also annually to the national
government from the same source, $751;
974 50: out Texas, with her 100000 So
called Incorporate people pays q revenue
on whisky of S93, 1926 to the United
States annually. Compare these figures,
f1rT 70 dnry for-o 10 ~
collector here, and then ask yourself:
"What's the m2tter?'' Don't say that
the revenue Ulcers have not lone their
duty in or state, for the people bear wit
ness to their extreme vigilance and untir
ing activity in this line.
It might 10 to dodge these figures by
saying that those moral states have q
great many scientists who apply the
stuff, and large crowds of mechanics who !
are lavish in it's use, and a very sickly |
population that cannot do without It; but |
TO say that whisky floats by them or that |
it is less used in either of those states !
than In Texas in proportion to population
Is simply illogical and untrue.
So palpable failure to enforce the |
liquor laws within the small, circum- |
scribed limits Of moral Maine, woman's |
rights Kansas, and busy Iowa, with the !
aid of all the superior forms of civil gov !
eminent in the keeping of their moral |
zealots, and skilfull leaders, at least |
speaks badly for this political quick-step !
now being so artfully taken under the |
cloak OF temperance reform, on the pure, |
unsullied soil of chiValrous Texas.
flor no stronger reasons, this amend |
ment ought to be defeated upon the |
grounds that it would scatter the traffic |
and use of intoxicants, and force them
into low dives and high places, alike, |
without the attendance of law or the bur-
dens of taxation, where in the former |
they would be productive of the most !
hideous and corrupting forms of crime, |
and in the latter they would play the psrt !
Of "keen-cut" reapers of the fairest |
flowers of our land.
If "whisky is the embodiment OF |
the father of all crimes, the |
mother of denominations, the DEVILS best |
friend, Gods worst enemy, and the muir
derer of the soul; if, from the time it
issues from the Coiled and poisonous |
worm at the distillerY until it empties |
into the hell of death, dishonor and |
shame, it demoralizes everybody that it
touches, from its source to where it
ends" then the good people should try |
to narrow its current, and sprrouud 1t by
the safeguards of law, instead of spread
ing it throughout every avenue of
trade, and into the way of every |
social channel, where it will be
used by more people and by that
class who would never enter a saloon to
get il. At present the saloons are chiefly |
supported by the transient, travelling. |
floating classes, who otherwise pay but lit
tie either directly or indirectly to support |
the government. With a change the |
chief patrons of whisky would be our |
home people of every profession, class,
grade, shade and color.
Yes, my friend, am opposed to and |
shall vote against the so-called prohibi |
ton amendment, for, what believe to |
be, the welfare of morality, the protec- |
ton of virtue, the promotion of hoDestB
and the perpetuity of good government. |
With great respect, and sincere friend
ship, am your obedient servant.
j. S. HoGG.